Power-transmission device



Nov. 13 i923.

B. F. sEYMoUR POWER TRANSMISSION DEVICE Filed Jah. 3, 1919 @Moen/hoz Patented Nov, 13, 1923.

tail-tear minar POVJER-TRNSMISSION DEVICE.

Application filed .T annarg1 To all whom' t'mlcajz/ concer/a.'

Be it knovvn that l, BENJAMIN F. Snr- MoUii, a citizen of the United States, residing at dlashingtoin in the listrict of Columbia, have invented new and useful linproifenients in Power-Transmission Devices, of which the following-is a specification.

The' present invention relates' to improvements in poiver transmission devices and has for its object to provide means for trans mitting power from a shaft to aV Wheel or casing mounted thereon, and which Will act to cushion and limit relative movement between Said parts in a radial direction. i

The invention is capable of being utilized in*v many different arts and under various conditions, but is particularly adapted and applicable for use in transmitting po'vver from a driving shaft or aXle to a wheel, for example the ground -wheel of a vehicle.

lnthe accompanying drawings: v

Figure lis a sectional view through a shaft' and portion of a v'vheel or casing including one embodiment yof the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional vien7 substantially on the line 2`-2"of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isi af transverse section illustratinganother embodiment of the invention.

Figure 11" is a"s'ectional`vie\v on the line i-'f-i einig-ure;-

Referring' to; the drawings', and particu-l larlyrto" Figures l` and 2, 1" designates a pov'veifor ydriving shaftV about which is 'fitted a Wheeler oa,sing,sh'oivn as eonfiprising side piatesey; which are connected by@ traine .Asshovvn in Figurej'2 the side plates' 2, 3j, o th areprovided vith a central aperture5'o/fgreater diameter than the Sherri" or the aussie-eve ,egsuitatiy exea' to rotate' with the axle'so tliatthe casing is Vadapte'dto have a limited movement relativeto the shaft in a radial direction. Side plates or disks supported on the hub meinberGeXtend across the openings' and said disks are connected' by tie AAbolts 8 which ex-V tend through circular openings 9 formed in the platesj2`, 3,'and through spacer' sleeves 10 located betvveenfsaid side plates 2 and 3, as shown. A nut 11 is shown as yapplied to one end of the shaft 1 to retain the hub sleeve 6 and parts supported thereby against longitudinal movement in one direction on they shafta'nd a' cover plats/12 is secured to the side 2 of the casing by screws 13.

The inner face of the frame which connects the side members 2, 3, is provided with 3', 1919. serial no. 259,432.

a plurality of relatively angular or cam surfaces 1li, 15, arranged in pairs about the axle the members of each pair forming a V-shaped surface. With said cani surfaces 14, 15, are adapted to cooperate acseries of canimeinbers 1G supported on a pair of cars 16a that project from the hub sleeve 6 and as shown' areV arranged at diametrically opposite points with regard to the shaft 1.

Each cam member 16 is provided with cam surfaces 17, 18, respectively positioned opposite and adapted to cooperate with the cam surfaces lei, 15, of the Wheel casing, anti-friction rollers 19 being provided in seats formed in the angular faces 14.-, and co-acting With the cani surfaces 17, 18.

1n the embodiment of the inventionillustrated, tivo pairs of cani members 16 are provided, the members of. each pair being arranged at opposite sides of the shaft 1 and coiled spring 2O is positioned between opposite pairs of saidV cam members, being arranged about a telescopic central guide, the members 21, 22 of which are respectively secured to the opposite cam members 16. The pivotal connections of the cam members 1,6 With t-he ears on the hubsleeve are in the plane ofthe axis of the shaft l and it will be seen that rotary movement of said shaft Will be transmitted through said cam members 16 and the rollers 19 to the cam faces 14, 15 on the Wheel casing, so that the latter will turn with the shaft. The springs 2O act to maintain contact between the niembers 16 and rollers 19. lf4 for any cause a relative movement betiveeii the shaft and wheel casing in a radial direction occurs, the rollers 19 will act to turn the cam members 16 about their Y votalconnectin `with the hub sleeve which 'turning movement 'will be resisted by the springs 20. That is if the shaft 1 tends to move downward from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, relative to the Wheel easing, which movement is permitted by the dimensions of the openings 5, the free ends of the cam members 16 Vwill be forced inwardly compressing the spring 2() Which will thus act as a shock absorber and effectively cushion the relative movement between the axle and the Wheel easing.

In the embodiment of the invention Villus- -trated in Figures 3 and 4f, the pivotalhy mountedcam members 25 are shown as fulcrunied at 26 inA a frame 27 which, is ar ranged between and connected to the side members 2, '23, of the Wheel casing, and the Sleeve oi' hub member 28 is provided with cam elements 29 cooperable with the several cam elements 25. Said hub member 28 is provided with a plurality of anti-friction rollers 30 engaging the several cam elements 25. lt will therefore be seen that all vibration of the hub member 28 will be dissipated through said cam elements 25 by their `respective rocking movements against the spring members 3l,

rlhe coil springs 3l positioned between the members of each pair of pivotally supported cams, and held from lateral movenient relative thereto by projecting studs 32, act to hold the members 25 in contact with the side members of the frame 27. As shown, each of said pivoted cam members is provided with a slight projection 25a ythat extends over and normally rests on the adjacent surface of a member of the frame 27.

The ends of the pivotally mounted cams 25 opposite those between which the springs 31 are arranged are shaped to engage with the corresponding ends of the cam members on the opposite side of the shaft l so that turning movement imparted to one of said cams will cause a simlar movement of the other cam member engaged therewith.

It will be seen that the operation of this embodiment of the invention is similar to that illustrated in Figures l and 2. That is, rotary movement of the shaft will be `-transmitted to the surroundingl casing or wheel through the coaction of the cam members and the interposed rollers, and any relative movement in a radial direction between the shaft and easing will produce a j turning movement of the pivoted cam meinbers and consequent compression of the springs 31, which thus act as cushion devices or shock absorbers.

As previously stated the invention is particularly applicable to the connection of the wheels of a vehicle with the driving axle although it may, as is evident be employed in connection with any shaft and surrounding body where there is a likelihood of there being relative movement between such parts in a direction radial of the shaft. Y

As shown in Figures l and 2 the diagonally oppositely arranged cam members may be connected by links 50, 51, each having` an intermediate curved portion extending about the sleeve 6.

Having thus desci'ibed the invention, what is claimed is:

l. The combination of a shaft, a casing surrounding the shaft, means for transmitting power from one of said elements to the other including two sets of members mounted, respectively, on the shaft and casing and having opposed cam faces, one of said sets of members being pivotally supported, springs acting to force said pivoted members toward the other cam members, and

rollers mounted in seats in the cam faces of one of said sets of members and contacting with the opposed faces of the other members.

2. lThe combination of a shaft, a casing surrounding the shaft, a plurality of pairs of cams positioned between the shaft and casing and pivotally supported on one of said elements, the members of each pair being in planes on opposite sides ofthe shaft, cam Surfaces rigid with the other Said element and adapted to cooperate with the pivoted cams to transmit rotary movement from one element to the other, and springs ct'ing to maintain contact between the pivoted-cams and rigid cam 'surfaces and to resist turning` movement ofthe pivoted cams due to relative movement between the shaft and casing in a radial direction.

3. The combination of a shaft, acasing surrounding the shaft, a plurality of pairs of cams pivotally supported on one of said elements, cam surfaces rigid with the other said element and arranged in opposition to the pivoted'cafm's to transmit rotary movement from one elementlvto the other, and coiled springs interposedxb'etween the members of each pair of pivo'ted cams and acting to force said cams toward theopposed cam surfaces and to resist turning movement of the pivoted cams dueto relative movement between the shaft and casing in a radial direction.V j Y' l. The combination of a shaft', a plurality of pairs of pivotally mounted cam members carried by the shaft, a casing surrounding surfaces arranged opposite the'cam surfacesY of said shaft members, rollers arranged` in seats in the cam surfacesof the casing and bearing against the learn" surfaces of* the shaft members, and a spring acting to'separatejthe members of each pair of said VAshaftY members and maintain contactbetweensaid members and rollers.

5. The combination of a shaft, aV hub arranged to turn with the shaft and provided withV diametrically 4ears, two cam members pivotally connected to and extending in opposite directions from each of said ears, a casing surrounding the shaft and said cam members and having cam surfaces opposite theV cam surface of each of said members, rollers arranged between the cam members and corresponding cam surfaces on the casing, and springs extending` transversely of the shaft between the cam members that project in the same direction therefrom and acting to maintain contact between said Vmembers and rollers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

Y BENJAMIN F. SEYMOUR.'

oppositely projecting said members andthe shaft and having cam Y llO 

